Consumers Data Stolen from LexisNexis 298
LE UI Guy writes "Reuters is currently running a story regarding LexisNexis being tapped into by identity thieves who accessed up to 32,000 customer profiles. Information hit included names, addresses, Social Security and driver's license numbers. This comes on the heels of rival ChoicePoint being breached for 145,000 profiles last month in a similar case. Better check yourself." Update: 03/10 02:40 GMT by J : ChoicePoint's name corrected (and, it may be more than 145,000, they don't know).
How long before ANYONE'S info hasn't been stolen? (Score:5, Interesting)
How long before ANYONE'S identity has not been stolen?
Seriously.
Why not just put a fraud alert on everyone's credit reports and let's get it over with. You want to apply for credit? You'll have to jump through a few more hoops...
The system as it is now is painfully broken.
How long it will take .. (Score:4, Interesting)
How much it will be worth it and to whome it will worth it.
Washington Post article (Score:4, Interesting)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19
Most organizations have some sort of regulatory body. Does the data harvesting industry have this?
Perhaps this should turn some heads in Congress now that we've got multiple cases of this insecurity. The question is, is Congress going to be able to do anything about it or will it be the same situation as with government computer security: Right now they just say "your security is bad" but that doesn't always fix the problem.
Re:Information Wants to Be Free :P (Score:5, Interesting)
No...remember, copyright is only for the benefit of corporations too. You don't have the right to prevent the distribution of data that pertains to you, that right only extends to the latest pop song, that they've already chosen to release publicly, and then expect to tell said public what they may or may not do with it.
But that brings up an interesting point...isn't someone currently getting sued by Apple for collecting data on them without their authorization and distributing it? Are only corporations allowed to protect sensitive data, and punish those who distribute it without authorization? If "trade secrets" exist, surely "personal secrets" do too?
Social Security numbers? (Score:3, Interesting)
Though I'm sure Ashcroft^H^H^H^H^H Gonzales would like that idea...
The solution: Opt In (Score:5, Interesting)
I don't want a bunch of strangers reading my dossiers (and I have had exactly this - I was affected by the ChoicePoint scam). If I had to approve every offering or sale of my data, I would have easily been able to block said scam.
Re:Easy solution to this problem (Score:3, Interesting)
microsoft employees use windows. need i say more?
Ephemeral data (Score:3, Interesting)
Our data should only live for the time it takes to make an online transaction; and not a femto-second longer.
I want a "Mission Impossible" ID that self-destructs!
How hard would this be to imple%$^? pfffttt __end_smoke_fx;
Legal comeback? (Score:2, Interesting)
the facts (Score:1, Interesting)
The story only says ID thieves got a hold of data, it doesn't say how. (The use of ID Thieves naturaly leads you to asume they stole the data, BUT!)
Re:Information Wants to Be Free :P (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Information Wants to Be Free :P (Score:3, Interesting)
There's an idea (not sure if this is what you were implying): copyright your personal data. When you have to give info to someone, make them agree to a licence to use your info. "You are hereby granted a limited, non-exclusive right to this information. You may use this information internally within your company for the use of identifing and billing my account. you may not distribute this information to other parties or use it for any other purpose than stated above without my express written consent."
Then if they abuse it, you can sue them for copyright infringement.
Would this work?
I want to avoid being like those schlubs (Score:2, Interesting)
I've inherited a mess. A total mess. Employees with default passwords (that never expire,) vendors from years long gone by with active accounts, some used recently... (Yeah, I've already disabled them.) The list just goes on.
My point is, when you read a story like this you feel bad for how screwed the admin(s) will be (especially if they have family) for a moment.
And then you get to work and double-check that you're not next in line for a public de-pantsing.
Social Security numbers? (Score:5, Interesting)
In this Homeland paranoia age where everything that is in the database must be right, you certainly don't want to see government ID numbers getting used in fraud. How do you go about getting a new Social Security number when the existing one is being used in fraud?
Re:Information Wants to Be Free :P (Score:3, Interesting)
If you're information was leaked, I don't see why you couldn't sue Lexis/Choice/BofA.
The problem is whether you are suing for:
1) Damages
2) Liability
3) Criminal behavior
Damages? That depends on how much got stolen from you
Liability? I have no clue
Criminal behavior? I suppose that falls under 'negligence' but I don't know how they award damages for this.
Re:Information Wants to Be Free :P (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Information Wants to Be Free :P (Score:4, Interesting)
Corporations may be bought and sold.
Tommy Hilfiger no longer owns his name, it's a corporation.
When, as the grandparent suggested, you get a corporation as your birthright, it sounds awfully eerie to me. *shrug* Maybe the foil hat is too snug.
Re:Information Wants to Be Free :P (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:the law is... (Score:1, Interesting)